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While on Others Thou Art Calling, Do Not Pass Me By – A Homily for the 20th Sunday of the Year Msgr. Charles Pope • August 19, 2017 • The Gospel this Sunday teaches us to pray always and not to lose heart. It is about being tenacious in prayer, continuing to beseech the Lord even when the results are discouraging. It is also about the Lord’s will to extend the Gospel to all the nations and to make the Church truly catholic.Let’s look at this Gospel in five stages. TRAVELS – The text says, At that time, Jesus...

Battle Plan - A Homily for the 20th Sunday of the Year Msgr. Charles Pope • August 13, 2016 • The readings today speak of a great cosmic battle that is taking place all around us. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of it vividly and of his own mission to engage our ancient foe and to gather God’s elect back from the enslaving clutches of Satan, who was a murderer and a liar from the beginning (cf John 8:44).As Jesus approaches Jerusalem for the final time, He describes the battle that is about to unfold. It is a battle...

August 16, 2015 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Prv 9:1-6 Wisdom has built her house,she has set up her seven columns;she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine,yes, she has spread her table.She has sent out her maidens; she callsfrom the heights out over the city:“Let whoever is simple turn in here;To the one who lacks understanding, she says,Come, eat of my food,and drink of the wine I have mixed!Forsake foolishness that you may live;advance in the way of understanding.” Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.I will...

August 15, 2015 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Mass during the Day Reading 1 Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab God’s temple in heaven was opened,and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,with the moon under her feet,and on her head a crown of twelve stars.She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.Then another sign appeared in the sky;it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,and on its...

Today’s gospel teaches us to pray always and not lose heart. This is a gospel about having tenacity in prayer and, even when the results seem discouraging, continuing to beseech the Lord. It is also a gospel about the Lord’s will to extend the gospel to all the nations and to make the Church truly catholic.Let’s look at this gospel in five stages.STAGE I. TRAVELS - The text says, At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Thus Jesus goes north of Israel into the territory we know today as Lebanon. Now Matthew is not just...